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| Today, with the arrival of the True Parents on the earth, the time
has come to resolve all the grievances that remain in Jesus' heart. Two
thousand years ago Jesus had to go the way of the cross due to disbelief
and persecution from his own people. He employed the cross as a sacred
implement upon which to sacrifice his body in order to save humankind.
However, in God's eyes, Jesus' death on the cross was too appalling even
to watch. After making 4,000 years of preparations to send the Messiah,
God had sent Jesus, His only-begotten Son. Instead of being welcomed, Jesus
was tried, convicted and sentenced to death. The cross was the dreadful
instrument of his execution. The Bible describes three hours of darkness
that suddenly fell when Jesus was crucified. God could not bear witnessing
the scene of Jesus' death and turned His face away.
As Jesus prophesied that "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down" (Mark 13:2), the Jews were scattered to wander all over the world. God had to watch in tears as awful historical consequences played out, even the massacre of six million Jews by Hitler. Today, in order for Judaism and Israel to be resurrected, they should clearly understand the tragedy of Jesus' death. It is no coincidence that recently a movement to take down the cross is spreading among the churches. It is being led by the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) and is based upon the words that the Reverend Moon spoke at the 20th anniversary of the founding of The Washington Times. In his keynote speech, he declared that the cross that Christians revere was not God's primary will, but rather was Jesus' second choice necessitated by the impossible circumstances. Jesus took that path with a painful heart, in order to open at least the way to spiritual salvation for humankind. Yet when Jesus looks upon the cross, his heart is flooded with painful memories. His heartbreak and sorrow will finally be resolved only when the cross is taken down from every Christian church. |